99-year-old craves goat liver for Christmas dinner

Despite nearing a century, Zephaniah Brown could easily pass for someone in their 70s. No walking stick, sharp memory, and clear vision -- he credits his longevity to his simple childhood.

Daily showers, for instance, were a rarity when he was growing up, a far cry from the routines of today.

"Nowadays mi see same way pickney dem a get up and bathe every morning and night, and dat strange, because we never use to bathe until Sunday," the 99-year-old Brown said.

"Weh we did a bathe so often fah? Dem days deh we never have tank like dat. A water we catch inna ground we drink, and a mussi it make mi live so long. When mi a pickney and a come a morning time, mi wash mi foot, and a it dat," he said.

As Christmas approaches, Brown says all he wants for the big day is a plate of ram goat liver.

The Lundie, Westmoreland native, swinging his legs over the armrest of a chair, reflects on a Yuletide season overshadowed by the devastation of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.

"Mi nuh fussy, enuh. All mi want is something nice to eat," Brown said. "A good plate a goat liver would do mi well....the most ting mi would want is the goat liver," he said smiling.

The senior citizen said that any plans he had for a Christmas feast this year were completely thwarted by Hurricane Melissa.

"The hurricane mash up everything -- sorrel, gungo, everything," he said.

Christmas, Brown admits, was a far cry from the festive extravagance many take for granted. Growing up in quiet, humble Lundie, fancy trees and wrapped presents were foreign to him.

"Poverty is really a crime, because a lot of my Christmas was like a normal day. But mi remember one Christmas Eve, mi parents buy me one pair a puss boot. Is nice shoes, and mi go out pon di road proud as ever, but mi never see dem again," he laughed, sharing the bittersweet memory.

Brown is well-known across the parish for his wet sugar boiling house, a thriving business that once employed many locals.